EASY First Day of School Traditions
Summer is starting to wind down, and before you know it, school will be back in session! To help you celebrate and make it extra special for your kids, we’ve rounded up the very best first day of school traditions.
From first day of school signs to ideas for the first week of school activities, we’ve got it all! We’ve even included some fun first day of preschool activities for those of you with little kiddos.
By establishing these kinds of first day of school traditions, your kids will be more excited and experience an easier transition. Plus, you’ll make some great memories as a family and have tons of fun doing it. Are you ready to take a peek at everything this list has to offer? Keep reading!
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1. Celebrate School Year’s Eve – Why not turn the night before the first day of school into a party and give the kids a reason to celebrate?!
2. Back to School Dinner Party – Back-to-school time is ALL about making new goals, right? This super cute goal-setting dinner party is the perfect way to do just that with the whole family!
3. Back to School Fashion Show – Let the kids show off their new outfits with a family “Back to School Fashion Show.”
4. Back to School Breakfast – Surprise the kids with a special breakfast before school.
5. First Day of School Interview Page – Document all of the anticipation and excitement of the first day of school with a back-to-school interview!
6. First Day of School Memory Page – See how much your child changes over the year with these school memory pages.
7. First Day of School Photos – These printable first day of school signs make perfect photo props! This is definitely one of the most popular first day of school traditions.
8. Back to School Binder – These back-to-school binder printables include sections for homework, artwork, grades, and calendars. You could even use them to store your child’s first week of school activities.
9. Back to School Snack Mix – This “Back to School Snack Mix” is definitely one of the tastiest first day of school traditions!
10. First Day of School Fairy – If your kids love the tooth fairy, they are sure to love the first day of school fairy!
11. First Day of School Lunchbox Love Notes – Print these adorable lunchbox love notes and tie them onto a treat or two to tuck into their lunchbox. Think of them as miniature first day of school signs that are sure to put a smile on your child’s face.
12. Giant After-School Snack – Surviving the first day can be rough, so your kiddos deserve an extra special treat.
13. Back to School T-Shirt – How fun is this handprint t-shirt idea? It’s something your child will treasure forever and is definitely one to add to your first day of preschool activities list.
14. Special First Day of School Lunch – This collection of lunchbox printables is the perfect way to make the first day of school sweet.
15. School Supply Scavenger Hunt – Add a little excitement by sending your kids on a back-to-school scavenger hunt in search of their new school supplies. If you’re a teacher, you could do a similar idea as part of your classroom’s first week of school activities.
16. Back to School Candy Grams – Make your first day of school traditions extra sweet with these clever back-to-school candy grams!
17. School Bus Cake – Celebrate the first day of school with this cute (and delicious) school bus cake! Little ones especially will have fun with this idea, so be sure to include it as part of your first day of preschool activities.
18. Water Bomb the Bus – If you’re looking for an over-the-top, extra-fun first day of school tradition, meet the kids at the bus stop and water bomb them with water balloons! Have you seen these water balloons?! If you haven’t, drop everything and order some STAT!
19. Go Shopping for Study Buddies – How darling is this back-to-school tradition? Take the kids shopping for a new “study buddy” stuffed animal!
20. Lunch Box Notes – You can never have enough lunchbox notes! We love that this set includes jokes kids will love.
21. Back to School Time Capsule – This first day of school time capsule will help you to preserve those precious memories. You can also enjoy looking through it together on the last day of school!
22. Back to School Balloon Surprise – How fun would THIS be for your child to wake up to?
23. Jitter Glitter – If your child is feeling anxious, this “Jitter Glitter” might be the perfect thing to help them regain a little confidence.
24. Back to School Bracelets – Wear these bracelets while you’re apart to keep each other close at heart.
25. Boo Hoo Breakfast for Moms – Most back-to-school traditions are for the kids, but here’s a tradition that is perfect for the MOMS!
For even MORE fun ideas and printables, check out our “Back to School Ideas” Pinterest Board—it is seriously loaded with back-to-school fun and inspiration! We also have a Back to School Shopping List loaded with all your kiddos will need!
Whatever first day of school tradition you choose to surprise your kids with, we know it will be a BLAST! Have fun!
We love your comments
These ideas are so fun and creative, THANK YOU!
The back-to-school T-shirt is SO cute! I haven’t seen that before and it is so cute and clever. I also love the fashion show. We always did that when I was growing up. I looked forward to back-to-school shopping EVERY year. Can’t wait to start a few of these with my own kids.
I love these! We start next week so I’m so glad I found this!
So fun to make new traditions out of these little milestones! Our favorite is fresh chocolate chip cookies right after school.
My old neighborhood used to do a giant water fight on the last night of summer, it was a blast. And I do love the first day of school pictures just so I can watch my kids grow over the years 🙂
That is such a fun idea!!
Love the back to school dinner idea- fun!
OK! This list of traditions makes me SO happy! Thanks for all the great ideas!
You are SO welcome, Kaylynn! 🙂
So cute! Saving this post for next year!
Great ideas to make the first day special!
So glad you enjoyed them!
i LOVE MAKING THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL EXTRA SPECIAL FOR MY KIDS. lOVING ALL OF THESE DARLING IDEAS!
Thanks Amy! We’re so glad!
Ooooh how I love these!!! My youngest is starting pre-k this year (I type as tears run down my face) and I feel really unprepared. I’m hoping that we can do some fun traditions to start the year off right and get everyone in the mood!! My oldest starts 3rd grade and I haven’t done nearly enough start of the school year traditions with him.
Awww….time flies, doesn’t it?! Hopefully this will give you some ideas of fun traditions to start!
Hi,
One more tradition that you can add to the list is to write a letter to your child’s teacher. Let your child’s teacher know you are grateful for the job path they have chosen and that you appreciate all the work they put into it. Thanks for sharing this, Becca.
Oh I LOVE that idea, Josephine! Thanks so much for sharing!
I love your Boo Hoo breakfast for Moms. I would have never thought to do that! I do a lot of special things for my kids too but I never thought to do something for Back to School fun for me. What a cute and rewarding mama idea! I love it! My youngest will be going in Kindergarten this year and I would enjoy a Boo Hoo Mama Breakfast!!! Such a cool and fun idea, thanks again!!! 🙂
So glad you liked it, Cas! Thanks for your sweet comment. My youngest girl is starting Kindergarten this year so I know exactly how you feel! Hope you are able to organize a fun Boo Hoo Mama Breakfast! XOXO
Hey I think these little traditions would be really fun to do for each first day of school. I my little girl starts kindergarten next year so maybe this will fun to start up with her. Maybe it’ll help her get excited about school and not so nerve racking like it feels every year. Thanks for sharing this!
You are so welcome! My little girl started Kindergarten this year and was pretty nervous- these really helped ease the nerves and made going to school exciting. Hope your daughter loves them just as much! 🙂
So cute!!! I am deffinately choosing more than one as we always face more than the average amount of jitters!!!
I love the idea of a Back to School Memory Page for each year. Cute ideas!
What great ideas! I have an autistic son who is going into 2nd grade. The beginning of a new school year is especially tough in him. I’m definitely going to use a few of these ideas for him and my other son who is starting kindergarten. Thanks for this article!
You’re welcome, Melinda! So glad that you’ll be able to use some of these ideas with your sons. 🙂
Hey there! Thank you for sharing the Fairy’s Boohoo Breakfast!!! This is an amazing post with some really awesome ideas!
I seriously love your Boohoo Breakfast idea! It’s fun to have a tradition for MOM. 🙂
Thanks for sharing my Back to School Lunch Printables
They are so fun- we love them!
Awesome list- so many great ideas! Definitely saving this for later when my little one goes to school!
Seriously makes me want to throw a back to school party, even though I don’t have kids. I might just have to borrow my friends kids! ha xox
I LOVE this!!!!!! I think you rounded up just about all the cutest ideas out there! lol Great job, girly! XOXO